Recessed flush lighting fixture hanging bar



July 20, 1954 S. L. BEBER ET AL 2,684,220

RECESSED FLUSH LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGING BAR Filed March l1, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet 1 July 20, 1954 S. L. BEBER ET AL RECESSED FLUSH LIGHTINGFIXTURE HANGING BAR Filed March ll, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July20, 1954 OFFICE RECESSED FLUSH LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGING BAR Samuel L.Beber and Jerome H. Feig, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 11, 1949, Serial No. 80,838

2 Claims. l

Heretofore recessed flush lighting fixtures have been formed withilanges welded to the housing as a means of support for the fixture, theflange upon each side of the housing being nailed dieetly to stringerein the ceiling, or if such stringere are not upon proper centers, thenthe anges are secured to a box roughecl in and supported by thestringers, and in which the spacing eetween the flanges and the lip ofthe housing is such as to provide for a plaster thickness which isconstant regardless of the type of construction, and any variation froman assumed thickness of plaster has in the past been compensated for bythe insertion of shims and other odd pieces of Wood between the flangeand the structural support therefore, regardless of whether the supportis a Stringer or a roughed-in box positioned between the stringers.Obviously this method of installation is slow, expensive, unsightly,unsecure, and, depending upon local ordinances governing electricalinstallations of this type, cannot be employed in the nrst instance,whereby one who desires installation of a recessed ilush type nxture isdeprived of the obvious advantages thereof.

In contra-distinction to the afore-described practice, it is an objectof the present invention to provide a simple and readily installedhanger which is adapted by its nature to be attached directly and inpositive union with and upon stringere in the ceiling and which hangerspermit the housing of the xture to be vertically adjusted and positionedin accommodation of any thickness or" plaster,

An advantage of the invention resides in the fact that a recessedlighting fixture may now be supported in ample clearance with respect toadjacent wood supporting elements whereby free circulation of air is nowpossible and in mitigation of built-up or accumulated temperature whichif unrestricted could attain a point high enough to cause fire.

A further advantage resides in a speed-up of the work involved in aninstallation of this character with an accompanying decrease in cost.

Another advantage resides in the fact that a recessed xture supportedupon the hanger bars of this invention is more rigidly secured in place,there being no creeping which could possibly chafe the insulation uponthe Wiring in the circuit with eventual short-circuiting a possibility.

A further advantage resides in the fact that lixtures of the typecontemplated may now be adjusted laterally of the hanger bar after thebar 2 has been xedly secured in position upon a joist, and this factcomprises a denite advantage over previously used means to support arecessed lighting fixture.

Other objects, features and advantages or" the invention may be notedfrom the accompanying drawing, the specification, and the sub-joinedclaims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view showing a recessed flush type lightingfixture positioned between two parallel and adjacent stringers andsupported by the hangers of this invention,

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken along line 2 2, Figure 1 showingthe hanger bars in their adjustable position upon the box of thefixture.

Figure 3 is a side-elevational view of one of the hanger bars; and

Figure 4 is a front-elevational view thereof; while Figure 5 is atop-plan view of the hanger bar.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the xture housing, thehanger bar and an adjacent Stringer showing detail of construction andadjustability of relationship between the hanger bar and the housing ofthe fixture.

Figure 7 is a View taken along line l-l', Figure 2, showing therelationship between the struckout loop in the box housing and one ofthe supporting brackets.

Figure 8 is a side-elevational View showing a modified form of bracketsupport adapted to permit lateral movement of the box with respect tothe bar after installation of the latter; and

Figure 9 is a top-plan view thereof'.

Figure l0 is a top-plan view of the hanger bar shown in Figures 8 and 9;and

Figure ll is a side-elevational while Figure 12 is an end view of thebar shown in Figures l0 and 11.

Figure 13 is a top-plan View of a further slightly modified form ofhanger bar construction; and

Figure 14 is an end View thereof.

In the drawing the reference character lil indicates the box or housingof a recessed ilush type of lighting fixture adapted to be supportedupon stringers l2 within the ceiling of the rooni in which theinstallation is had, and as shown, the fixture is held in fixedrelationship to the stringers by means of the hanger bars i4 of thisinvention. The bars I4 are formed of elongate strips of steel uniform incross section throughout their lengths, and are bent in substantial viewthereof;

simulation of the letter L. Each bar has a vertical leg l formed with anelongated slot I8 while the horizontal portion or arm 20 is perforatedwith one or more apertures 22 to receive a nail 24 to be driven into thestringers l2 as a means of securing the hanger bar thereon. A sharplyapexed tongue 26 is die struck from the arm 20 and extends parallel withthe vertical leg It and provides a convenient and rapid means of, rst,iixedly centering the hanger upon the stringer, and, secondly, oftemporarily securing the hanger upon the stringer by driving itthereinto, prior to driving the nail 2li as shown in Figure 6.

The flanges 28 shown in Figures l, 2 and 6 are adapted to support areilector bowl, not shown, and these flanges are placed upon the sides3E) and 32 of the box is at right angles to the position of thehanger-bars lil. We provide fastening or mounting means upon the sides3G and 32 of the box to secure the hanger-bars to the box. The fasteningmeans for each hanger bar involves a loop-shaped ear 34 which ispreferably die struck from the side panel or" which the box isultimately formed. The ear is so dimensioned as to readily receive thevertical leg le as shown in the several figures of the drawing. We alsoprovide a screw fastener for holding the leg I6. In the case shown theside of the box and the leg have aligned openings receiving a short bolt3E. The opening in the leg extends longitudinally thereof and is in theform of a slot i8.

ln Figures 8 to 12 inclusive, we show a modied form of hanger bar forrecessed ilush lighting fixtures, here the bar has a length in excess ofthe width of the fixture housing, and as shown the body 2c or" the barI3 is formed with right angled legs 22, being bent at 3B to accomplishthis conguration, while each of the legs 22 is bent at 2t to formilanges 2t which are disposed in a plane parallel with the body portion2%). Both the flanges 25 and the body portion 2c have elongated slots 28formed therein, and which slots are positioned in the hanger barsubstantially as shown. The slots 28 in the body 2Q being adapted toreceive bolts 32 from the housing lila whereby before being tightened,the housing may be adjusted laterally for centering or other alignment,while the slots 28 in the flanges 26 are adapted to receive and permit acertain amount of adjustment of the fastening means 36 prior to beingdriven in the joist l2 as shown in Figure 8.

Figures 13 and 14 are illustrative of a slightly modified form of hangerover that shown in Figures 8 to 12, here the slots in the flanges 25 ofthe hanger bar 2B are formed with open ends whereby a bar may be slidunder the head of such a fastening means as the nail 36 after the nailhas been centered and partially driven in the joist. The arrangement isadvantageous in certain instances of construction, especially where asingle workman must perform all tasks involved in an installation, andis likewise of advantage when dismounting a fixture including the hangerbars, for it is not necessary that all of deeply set nails be withdrawnprior to taking the bar down, one such withdrawal will sumce, while theopposite end of the bar is drawn from the nail after having been merelyloosened.

The preceding description of our invention is believed to be such as toenable the same to be clearly understood and practiced, and from whichit can be seen that regardless of width between centers in the stringereand regardless of the plaster thickness a recessed ush lighting fixturecan be quickly, and easily installed with the simplest of tool and witha minimum understanding of mechanics. In practice the width of centersbetween stringers is quite standardized but does vary depending upon thedegree of permanency of the structure and this applies in like manner tothe plaster thickness, but regardless of these considerations, the arm2Q of each of the hanger bars, of which there are four to theinstallation, is of such length as to span the clearance between the boxside and an adjacent Stringer, while the position of the box Within theceiling may be vertically adjusted by merely loosening the bolt 35 andraising or lowering the box along the vertical leg IE to bring thereflector supporting flange into proper alignment with the surface 46 ofthe plaster 42, substantially as shown in Figure 1, and thereaftertightening the bolt 36 to hold the box ill in its place of properadjustment.

The tongue 26 has been found to be advantageous in certain types ofconstruction in facilitating installation, but is not to be consideredas a limiting detail of construction of or in the hanger bars, theessence or the invention in which, resides in the provision of means forlateral adjustment of the bar with respect to the supporting stringereand in which means are provided for vertical adjustment of the fixturehousing or box with respect to finish line of the plaster or otherceiling surface.

Having thus described our invention in its preferred form, that which wedesire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a box shaped body adjustably related to a wall andhaving a bottom, sides and ends, a plurality of separately adjustablemounting brackets arranged two at each end of the body and in spacedrelation to each other, each bracket being an elongate strap uniform incross sectional configuration throughout its length and L.shaped in formhaving an elongate foot portion engaged fiat against the body with oneend terminating short of the bottom of the body and an arm projecting asubstantial distance from the other end of the foot, the foot portionsbeing parallel with each other, and having longitudinal slots thereinand releasably engaged in the slots of the foot portion of each bracketto secure the bracket to the end of the body with which it is engaged,the arms being parallel and each arm having a longitudinal series ofopenings therethrough and extending longitudinally of the arm.

2. In combination, a box shaped body having a bottom, sides and ends, aplurality of separate mounting brackets arranged two at each end or thebody and in spaced relation, each bracket being an elongate strapuniform in cross sectional configuration throughout its length andhaving a foot portion ilat against the body and an arm projecting asubstantial distance from one end of the foot, the front portion havinglongitudinal slots therein, and a screw clamp releasably engaged in theslot of the foot portion of each bracket to secure the bracket to theend of the body with which it is engaged, each arm having an anchoringtongue projecting therefrom in termediate its longitudinal edges and inthe same direction that the foot portion is related to the arm andspaced from the foot portion.

(References on following page) References Cited in the le of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Beaton Aug. 1, 1905 Appleton etal Mar. 1, 1910 Hoffmann May 14, 1912 Beugler Oct. 16, 1914 Caine Oct.19, 1915 Knauber Jan. 18, 1916 Sweet May 8, 1917 Keller Mar. 11, 1919Number 6 Name Date Kruse Nov. 14, 1922 Kruse Dec. 16, 1924 Calhoun Sept.8, 1925 Raquette et al July 20, 1926 Raquette June 25, 1929 Mangn Mar.3, 1931 Morgenstern July 14, 1931 Frank Aug. 18, 1931 Bowers June 26,1934 Bucknell et al Sept. 15, 1942

